Adjustable stilt

ABSTRACT

Stilts for walking at a raised elevation. The stilts include an elongate generally rectangular upright support board having a generally rectangular foot support block vertically adjustably secured thereto by an encompassing U-bolt including a strap connecting the threaded ends of the U-bolts. Wing nuts tighten on the strap to clamp the block to the upright in its vertically adjusted position. A flexible loop is secured to the block by the U-bolt in one form of the invention. In a second form of the invention one end of the flexible strap is secured to the block by the U-bolt and the opposite end of the strap is adjustably connected to the upright by a second generally rectangular Ubolt.

United States Patent [1 1 Jones ADJUSTABLE STILT [76] Inventor: Massena F. Jones, P.O. Box 616,

Vaughan, Miss. 39179 [22] Filed:

[11] 3,831,937 1 1 Aug. 27, 1974 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Victor .1. Evans & Co.

[ ABSTRACT Stilts for walking at a raised elevation. The stilts include an elongate generally rectangular upright support board having a generally rectangular foot support block vertically adjustably secure-d thereto by an encompassing U-bolt including a strap connecting the threaded ends of the U-bolts. Wing nuts tighten on the strap to clamp the block to the upright in its vertically adjusted position. A flexible loop is secured to'the block by the U-bolt in one form of the invention. In a second form of the invention one: end of the flexible strap is secured to the block by the U-bolt and the opposite end of the strap is adjustably connected to the upright by a second generally rectangular U-bolt.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEU M182 71974 FIG. 1.

FIG. 2.

ADJUSTABLE STILT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to stilts of the type used for the pleasure of elevated walking.

2. Summary of the Invention The stilts of the present invention include a generally rectangular upright having a foot support block and a foot encompassing flexible strap adjustably secured to the upright by an encompassing U-bolt having its threaded ends connected by a strap and clamped together by wing nuts. In a modified form of the invention the flexible strap has one end connected to the block and the opposite end connected to a elevated position on the upright by a second U-bolt.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a stilt structure which can be manufactured from readily available materials at a relative low cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4,looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a stilt constructed in accordance with the invention.

The stilt 10 includes a generally rectangular upright support member 11 having a block 12 of generally rectangular form adjustably secured thereto. The block 12 has a normally horizontal foot support surface 13 on the upper face thereof. A foot encompassing flexible strap 14 has one end 15 engaged against the outer face of the block 12 and the opposite end 16 engaged between the block 12 and the support 11. A generally rectangular U-bolt 17 has the bite 18 thereof engaged against the end 15 of the strap 14 and with the threaded legs 19 and 20 extending along opposite sides of the block 12 and opposite edges of the support 11. Y

The threaded legs 19, 20 have a length so as to extend beyond the support 11 as can be seen in FIG. 3 and extend through a metal plate 21 which engages against the support 11 as can be seen in FIG. 3. Wing nuts 22 are threaded onto the threaded legs 19, 20 and against the plate 21 to clamp the U-bolt l7 tightly around the block 12 and support 11 as well as the strap 14 to lock the block 12 in a vertically adjusted position on the support 11.

When it is desired to change the level of the foot support surface 13 of the block 12 the wing nuts 22 are loosened and the block 12 is then vertically adjusted to the desired position. The wing nuts 22 are then tightened and the stilt 10 is ready for use. Obviously the stilt 10 is provided in pairs for walking use.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 a modified form of stilt is illustrated generally at 30. The stilt 30 includes a generally rectangular upright support 31 identical to the support 11 and having a generally rectangular block 32 adjustably secured thereto with a generally horizontal foot support surface 33 on its upper face. A strap 34 has one end 35 against the outer end of the block 32 and its opposite end 36 against the support 31. A generally rectangular U-bolt 37 has a bite 38 which engages against the erid 35 of the strap 34. The U-bolt 37 has spaced parallel threaded legs 39, 40 which encompass the block 32 and the opposite side edges of the support 31 and receive a plate 41 through which they extend. Wing nuts 42 are threaded onto the legs 39, 40 and engage against the plate 41 to clamp the U-bolt 37 tightly against the block 32 and the support 31 to lock the block 32 in its vertically adjusted position along the upright support 31.

A relative short U-bolt 43 encompasses the end 36 of the strap 34 and the support 31. A plate 44 engages overthe threaded ends of the U-bolt 43 and is clamped against the support 31 by wingnuts 45. The U-bolt 43 tightly clamps the end 36 of the strap 34 to the support 31. When it is desired to change the elevation of the block 32 with respect to the support 31 both the U-bolt 43 and the'U-bolt 37 must first be loosened to permit them to be adjusted whereupon they are retightened to lock the block 32 and strap 34 in its new adjusted position.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A walking stilt comprising an elongate generally rectangular upright support, a generally rectangular foot support block having a face thereof positioned against one face of said support, a generally rectangular generally horizontal U-bolt engaging a second face of said block spaced from first named face thereof and also engaging a pair of spaced parallel faces connecting the first and secondnamed faces of said block, a plate mounted on said U-bolt in engagement with a second face of said support parallel to the first named face thereof, means on said U-bolt engaging said plate for releasably clamping said U-bolt, said block and said support together for locating said block in a preselected vertically adjusted position on said support, and a foot encompassing strap having its opposite ends releasably secured to said block and said support respectively with said strap overlying the top surface of said block.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strap has its opposite ends secured to said block by said U- bolt.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein one end of said strap is secured to the outer end of said block by said U-bolt and means are provided for adjustably .securing the opposite end of said strap to said support above said block. Y

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for securing the opposite end of said strap to said support comprises a generally rectangular U-bolt encompassing the opposite end of said strap and said support. 

1. A walking stilt comprising an elongate generally rectangular upright support, a generally rectangular foot support block having a face thereof positioned against one face of said support, a generally rectangular generally horizontal U-bolt engaging a second face of said block spaced from first named face thereof and also engaging a pair of spaced parallel faces connecting the first and second named faces of said block, a plate mounted on said U-bolt in engagement with a second face of said support parallel to the first named face thereof, means on said U-bolt engaging said plate for releasably clamping said Ubolt, said block and said support together for locating said block in a preselected vertically adjusted position on said support, and a foot encompassing strap having it''s opposite ends releasably secured to said block and said support respectively with said strap overlying the top surface of said block.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said strap has its opposite ends secured to said block by said U-bolt.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein one end of said strap is secured to the outer end of said block by said U-bolt and means are provided for adjustably securing the opposite end of said strap to said support above said block.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for securing the opposite end of said strap to said support comprises a generally rectangular U-bolt encompassing the opposite end of said strap and said support. 